


I want you to be Happier/Even if I have to Leave

by HkHk



Category: World of Warcraft
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, Fluff, Original Character(s), Slow Burn, bfa au, magic baby
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:41:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22965583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HkHk/pseuds/HkHk
Summary: "I helped raise my little brother," Sylvanas said as if anticipating the unspoken question. "I am quite an expert at diapers.""You didn't have to. You could have woken me."Sylvanas looked at her state of dress, one eyebrow raised. "You needed sleep."
Relationships: Jaina Proudmoore/Sylvanas Windrunner
Comments: 82
Kudos: 275





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> BABIES. CUTENESS.
> 
> Inspired by Consequences by Redisaid

She didn't realize she was pregnant until a month later. All it took was a fainting spell in her office. 

Jaina hadn't had a period in months so the continued absence of it wasn't anything to worry about. Sure she got sick for a few mornings but at this point, her poor health was just getting worse. Honestly, she had chalked everything up to stress. The tentative peace between the Alliance and the Horde was a thin line, frayed already and beyond its tension point. But it was working. They even had a joint mission together that resolved peacefully and benefitted both factions. 

Now, she was wondering if it did end as quietly and uneventfully as it seemed. 

"I'm pregnant?" Jaina asked quietly, her fingers gripping the linen of the bed tightly. 

"Yes, from what I can tell at least a month." The healer looked at her kindly. "Your body is attempting to grow another being. All the stress must have triggered your fainting spell. My prescription for you is bed rest. You will also need to be taking prenatal potions and you will need to eat three meals a day. If you don't, I fear you may lose the baby." 

At least the healer didn't ask who knocked her up. Jaina couldn't even remember the last time she had sex. This entire situation was throwing her for a loop. She kept the confusion off her face as she listened to the healer detail exactly what she needed to do. A part of her mind drifted off as she tried to figure out _how exactly this happened._

"Do you want to keep the child?" That brought Jaina out of her head entirely. "It is not too late to terminate." 

"I......" The thought didn't even occur to her. Then again, neither did the idea of being pregnant. "Why did you ask?" 

"You looked surprised." The healer said delicately. "But not horrified." 

The implication filled the room making a tense situation even more awkward. Jaina looked at her hands nervously. "I need some time. Will you please keep this to yourself? Until I am ready to make my decision?" She herself wasn't even sure how to react. "Please." 

"Of course. Patient confidentiality is very important." 

Two hours later, Jaina has nearly read every book on pregnancy, magical or otherwise. There was a surprising amount of books on pregnancy and a lot more about sex. All of this was done in secret of course. She didn't need Andiun to find her surrounded by the magical equivalent of sexual positions. She even took out a piece of parchment and began to write down everything she did a month ago to nail down what exactly happened. It all pointed towards that ridiculous mission. 

Something happened. But what? It was a normal dungeon crawl with skeletons and demons and.....

"That stupid crystal." 

It suddenly dawned on Jaina that her inquisitive nature may have gotten her into trouble. She tore through her books until she found what she was looking for. Before the entire temple collapsed on itself, she had made charcoal imprints of the runes for future translation. 

It was a beautiful thing sitting atop a pedestal in the middle of the room, runes carved on the stone. She just had to touch it and pick it up which caused the room to collapse. Then, Sylvanas Windrunner of all people grabbed her and saved her from plummeting to her doom as the ground fell away. Of course, it was all for naught as the crystal had cracked and shattered. 

The translation was incomplete but the gist of it could be extrapolated. It was a fertility temple dedicated to some God or Goddess. Helpful couples would touch the stone and pray for conception. It would seem that it worked but it had been years. There was no way that the object would hold any power. It had been years and the diety was long gone. 

She could still remember the chill of Syvlanas's hand gripping her wrist. The Banshee had lost her gauntlet some hours ago. Her skin was softer than she imagined, her grip was like iron as the undead elf pulled Jaina to safety. The moment was over as quickly as it came and when the mission was over, they departed. The Horde went one way and the Alliance the other. 

Most of her interactions with the Forsaken leader had been cordial to a point, polite and diplomatic if not a bit tense. The woman was terrifying in person. There was this overall sense that she would kill you if she deemed it necessary. One does not become the Ranger General by being incompetent. She had years of military experience. 

With that in mind, Jaina sent a missive and hoped, that Sylvanas would hear her out. She deserved a say in this as well. 

* * *

"Dark Lady." 

Sylvanas gave a nod of acknowledgment to the death knight as she entered the room, closing it behind her. She sat at her desk methodically going through her messages. It was much the same, letters about troop movements, prayers to the Dark Lady, logistical reports and one that was not as thick as the others. She pulled that one out of the stack and eyed it, flipping the letter over. As much as Nathanos might bitch and moan, Sylvanas enjoyed going through her messages by herself. It helped with making the day past faster. Sure she could have had someone help her but then, what else did she have to do? Peace was boring. 

Sure she was still building her forces and planning for the future and for future conflicts but it wasn't anything like the battle tempo of all-out war. As Ranger General, she was always at the front lines hunting down trolls. She would never sit behind a desk and be buried by paperwork. Yet, here she was, reading messages and thankful for it. 

With a quick cut of her knife, she opened the letter and quickly read the contents. It was very short. 

_Can we meet? In private?_

There was no name or crest but a very familiar arcane signature. "How fascinating." Like most elves, she could identify arcane and who it came from. Magic was unique to the user. Death may have taken many things from her but at least it didn't rob her of her senses. She would have made a poor Ranger if it did. There was a floral scent tinged with antiseptic on the parchment. 

"Anya." 

A patch of darkness separated from the shadows. "My lady." 

"Get me the reports of all movements on Jaina Proudmoore." What was that clever mage thinking of? This would be a poor attempt at an assassination not like someone of Proudmoore's capabilities would need to do something so underhanded. She could just wipe Ogrimmar off the face of the world if she wanted to. It was a lot of power in such a fragile creature who was marching towards her own death at the speed of light. If left to her own devices she might die out of sheer stubbornness.

"Yes, my lady." 

Sylvanas placed the letter down and looked at it contemplatively. Why would Jaina Proudmoore want to speak to her In private? Has she done anything to her? That she aware of? There were a lot of things going on, some she manufactured and some she did not. If left to their own devices, sometimes things unravel the way she wants and other times, she had to give it a nudge. Prince Kael'thas, may he rest in peace, would be rolling in his grave at the mere notion of Sylvanas Windrunner politicking. 

She drummed her fingers on her desk. Well, if this was a trap, she would have only one chance to kill the archmage. A single shot through the orbital socket, where it is weak, and the arrowhead should penetrate the brain. The only question is, was her fingers faster than thought? It was something to wonder about. A wise Ranger-General once told her to greet everyone with a smile and a plan on how to kill them. 

Sylvanas penned her response underneath the question and watched, intrigued, as the letter vanished. A great mage indeed. 

* * *

Whatever Sylvanas was prepared for, it wasn't this. She had picked a spot that was neutral and out of the way, a place where there wouldn't be any random encounters. Jaina Proudmoore looked ill for a better lack of the word. There were dark circles under her eyes, her cheeks looked hallow and her skin was paler than normal. Despite this, she looked very determined and nervous, she was gripping her staff very tightly. 

"Why have you asked for this meeting?" 

"I wanted to speak to you first as you deserve to know." There was a bright glint in her blue eyes in spite of the exhaustion of her body. "I'm pregnant." 

This was not what she expected. At all. "And this concerns me how?" 

"I think it's yours. Either that or I will be having a very awkward series of conversations." Jaina swallowed. "I won't know until the pregnancy continues. But that is another matter entirely." She shifts on her feet, nervous, questioning. "Do you want to keep it?" 

At a loss for words, she could only parrot it back. "Do you?" 

The clearing was empty save for their words and the heaviness of the subject. Sylvanas wasn't sure what to think or feel. It felt as if her world had been turned inside out and she no longer knew what direction the sun was. 

"I don't know. I used to dream of being married and having children but those were the desires of a child. I don't even know if I'm even capable of raising a child. I could barely take care of myself." The self-depreciation was thick in her words. "But, perhaps it is a sign of hope?" 

"The child would be of two different factions. If it is mine." The words brought back memories of a happier time. Of her baby brother and her little sister. "It wouldn't be unwanted. We will need to talk about parental rights and visitation." 

"Wait, what do you mean?" 

"We are not lovers. Or even friends. At best we are allies. A child will not magically make me like you Proudmoore." Sylvanas said flatly. "But I would not let a child suffer. I am sure we can negotiate." 

"Of course." For some reason, Jaina looked disappointed. What a strange creature. "I guess that's that then. I am sure we can work this out. Are you going to tell anyone?" 

"Who would I tell?" It wasn't as if she was on speaking terms with her sisters. "And you?" 

"I don't know. It's going to come out sooner or later once I begin to show. And then Anduin will start to ask questions and...." She trailed off with a frown directed at the Banshee Queen. "Why are you not curious as to how this happened?" 

"I am. It just not important right now. You are already looking into it and once you find out how this occurred I am sure you will tell me." It wasn't as if Proudmoore planned this. This was a terrible plan anyways. Nothing would be accomplished. There was literally nothing to be gained. "For now, my only concern is making sure that you will be able to conceive safely." 

"How kind of you." 

* * *

Jaina wasn't sure what to make of Sylvanas. She had taken the news rather well and was now focused on visitation rights. Visitation rights! As if this was just another part of the treaty to be negotiated. She was just so emotionless it was grating. She could feel herself getting irritated with each word that came out of the Banshee's mouth. 

She snapped. "Stop treating this like a transaction or some treaty. We are talking about a living person." 

"What would you call it then? How would you deal with it? This isn't a normal pregnancy or a normal child. Unless you decide to join the Horde, there is a very delicate political situation that will arise. It must be handled carefully." The worse thing was that she was making sense. In a terribly practical manner. The worst type. "The last thing either of us wants is a custody battle."

"You are right," Jaina said grudgingly. "But we're getting ahead of ourselves. Let's focus on what will happen now. We will continue as if nothing has happened. I will continue my research and make plans as to where I will live for the rest of the pregnancy. I might go back to Kul Tiras." 

"Kul Tiras?" 

"Our family has always been born by the ocean or on it. It's a bit of a tradition." It might be the best option. "You are welcome to visit of course. If you want." 

"I might." 

"I feel like it might be best to keep our communications secret for now. Here." Jaina took out a stone from her pocket. "It can record messages and send them to my corresponding stone." 

The Banshee Queen eyed her for a quick second before taking the stone. "Very well." 

"Until next time." Jaina raised her hand to summon a portal. With a snap, the portal opened and she stepped through leaving the lone figure in the clearing, her burning eyes following her until the portal closed. "That went well." 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also. Vote. Syvlanas tall or smol?
> 
> AUUUUUUGH *bashes head against wall* Writer's block and lack of eloquence makes me cry

Sylvanas studied the gem in her hand, toying with it, letting it slide, and wander between her fingers. The purple gem acted as a receiver and transmitter, able to communicate to an identical gem across the world. It would make troop movements much easier if she was able to have near-instant communications with the commanders on the battlefield itself without being there. It was a very nice trick, something that her mages should learn. No doubt someone in the Horde will be able to duplicate this spell. 

Jaina had only sent a few messages, she was keeping Sylvanas in the loop so to speak. Which was rather generous of her. And oddly unsettling. 

It has been a few days and Sylvanas wasn't sure what to feel outside of a vague sense of dismay. A part of her was certain she should be furious or outraged or something. Yet, the only thing she knew was that for the first time in her undeath she couldn't grasp at her unquenchable fury. She had been so used to existing, nurturing the ball of rage inside her, that anything else felt empty. Like a ghost. As if she was no longer grounded. As if she was still a spirit drifting unbound incapable of directing her own destiny. As if the world was spinning underneath her and she could no longer stand on steady ground. She would rather take an all-encompassing burning furor over numbness. 

Thinking about a pregnant Jaina brought up memories of her past, of rangers she knew who got pregnant or was expecting a child. She could clearly remember their faces and hushed whispers, the anxiety that clawed at the couple. There was joy too and pride. Sylvanas had cradled many babies and never once had she ever had the inclination to ever have one. She had pushed it off from century to century until it no longer mattered. Children were a necessity but helping raise Veressa soured her opinion towards the helpless creatures. 

Babies were such needy creatures whose only defense mechanism was being utterly adorable. It took a village to raise a child and Windrunner village had a hand in raising all the Windrunner spawn. Their mother was busy being the Ranger General, Alleria was cavorting with her Farstriders and her father only had two hands. Sylvanas had helped raise Veressa and Lirath in turn. As they got older and lost their father and mother, most of Windrunner village with her brother amongst them the comfort of family dimmed. Years later, Alleria chased after orcs and at the time it felt like an ultimate betrayal and a loss. All she had was Veresea and her duty to her people. It was the only comfort she gave herself as the years stretched on and she became the Ranger General that Alleria was supposed to be.

Then she perished and everything she ever held dear was crushed underneath the Scourage's heels. Then the Alliance proceeded to turn even that into ash, like tiny bones crushed underfoot. 

"My Lady?" 

Anya had materialized in front of her, a set of scrolls in her clasped hand. "The reports." 

"Thank you." She must have been deep in thought for Anya to be able to sneak up on her. Sylvanas tucked the gem into her pocket while her other hand took the reports and placed them on her desk. She used a dagger to cut the seals, flattening the scrolled pieces of parchment. 

When she looked up from the report, Anya was still there. 

"What is it?" 

"Did we do anything wrong?" The ranger looked uneasy and a bit guilty if she would judge the expression on her captain's face. Normally Anya was as readable as stone but right now she had all the telltale signs of someone who was feeling anxious. Her ears were canted back and flat against her skull, there was a nervous energy in her posture and her face was like an open book. Her own red eyes shifted in their sockets as if she couldn't decide where to place her gaze. 

Sylvanas placed the paperwork down and gave Anya her full attention. "Why would you say that?" 

"You returned and shut yourself in your study without a word to anyone," Anya said quietly. "I already told Velonara to put the cat back and to return Nathanos's boots." 

Poor Nathanos. A ranger could tease a new recruit for centuries and in Nathanos's case his entire life and unlife. Give it a century or more and the ribbing would peter out. Usually, a new recruit would come in and all the attention would be shifted onto them. They were a bunch of lynxes the lot of them, preening creatures who considered anything scurrying as prey. They needed an outlet for their energy else it gets put into more unproductive ways. 

"It isn't that but thank you for telling me. I had an illuminating conversation with Jaina Proudmoore." Sylvanas paused for dramatic effect. "We are expecting." 

Anya's response was exactly what she anticipated. Firstly, blank confusion followed by a furrowed brow, and then her ears went straight up. "What?" 

"Perhaps you should get your hearing checked. We are having a baby." 

_"What-"_

Far too amused for her own good, Sylvanas continued. "It was very unexpected but I think it will be a good thing to happen. Truly a blessing from Belore." 

"You're having a go at me, aren't you?" Anya asked after a moment, a bit peeved. "It isn't my fault you're bad at cards." 

"Unfortunately I am not. I had planned on speaking to you and the other rangers about this new development. Jaina Proudmoore is expecting a child. She says it may be mine." Sylvanas let the cards comment slide. It wouldn't do for her to be perfect in everything. Besides, she was actually pretty shitty at those games. Boardgames were more her forte especially resource games or as she calls them "starvation games". 

"Is it? Yours? My queen?" 

"Haven't the faintest clue." Syvlanas enjoyed the shocked expression on her ranger's face. "I would hope so. Or else I will be wasting my time for the next few months." 

"Forgive me for saying this, but you're acting...very cavalier and not at all..." Anya let her words trail off as she rummaged for the right word to describe this situation. "Infuriated." 

"No. I suppose not." Her rangers would notice. They were her sisters in arms, after all, the moment they could no longer turn to her for support was the moment she stopped being their leader. They made sure she didn't descend the morality ladder headfirst in her righteous fury. "I suppose it just doesn't feel real to me. I am not the one carrying a baby." 

"What will you do?" 

Now that is a good question. While she may not suspect a very elaborate trap, she hadn't lived this long without learning how to play the game. Besides, why would Proudmoore inflict upon herself a child? Her mother had many pregnancies and had complained, mostly to her, that her pregnancy was the worst and it was because of Sylvanas that Liressa Windrunner had grey hair. Not because she had raised four kids, three of which were all unrepentant rascals, and was the Ranger General of all Quel'Thalas. Of course not. Or that Lireessa Windrunner was several thousands of years old and her old age was finally catching up to her? That got Sylvanas a flicked ear when she made the mistake of mentioning the fact within earshot of her mother. 

"Get a lawyer and draw up parental agreements." The very least she could do is bury Proudmoore in legalities. "If the child is mine, she should know of me and our people." 

"If the child is not yours, my lady?" Anya asked, her ears perked up in curiosity. 

"Then I had needlessly annoyed Proudmoore for nine months. It would be free entertainment." Sylvanas drawled, her hands steepled together. "It would be like the last time someone tried to give me a baby." 

Anya's eyes almost rolled at the mere mention of one of the numerous baby incidents. "Which one? The one where someone tried to gift wrap you a baby? Or the time we had to shut down an underground market of baby buying in some misguided idea that the Forsaken ate babies? Or the one where you found a baby on the side of the road and it wouldn't let go of your hair?" 

Sylvanas did roll her eyes. "Let's keep this quiet. The last thing I need is a repeat of that mess. I have no idea where anyone got the idea that the Forsaken ate babies." Well, she actually could, when they were all enslaved by the Lich King's will some of the corpses acted the way only nightmares portray them to be. They didn't need to eat but for some of them, it helped repair their bodies. While enthralled, this instinct reared its ugly head and the Scourage had many uses for the bodies that fell in its wake. 

One of the most well-kept secrets was the existence of Forsaken children. Everyone got raised but the elderly and children were overlooked as fodder for Menthil's army. They just popped up, appearing from underground holes or underneath destroyed buildings, small creatures who were just bone, muscle, and sinew. Many didn't have any parents or their living parents would never accept them. All they had were their fellow dead. 

"I suspect baseless rumors, my Queen," Anya said straight-faced. Sometimes the best information is misinformation. She may have added her own tall tales in the mix. "Not one of mine." 

"No, I suspect the vampirism was yours." Said Sylvanas flatly an eyebrow arched. "You always did like the cheesy romance novels." 

Her ranger-captain didn't bother to look up, no doubt her face was flushed a dark purple. "I need you to find answers for me." Anya straightened, her posture ramrod straight. "I need some information on a specific ritual and ritual device. Discretely." 

"Yes, my Queen." 

* * *

Jaina walked slowly through her family home, grabbing things she thought she needed and avoiding unnecessary confrontations like being within shouting distance of her mother. Their relationship was still strained. It is hard to forgive one's mother when they exile you and blame you for their husband's death. There was a lot to unpack there and honestly, she wasn't in the right headspace. It had been a whirlwind of a week as Jaina planned the next few months of her life around her growing baby. The healer had given her a list of things she must eat for a healthy pregnancy and a list of things she shouldn't be doing. One of those was complex magics. She had to prepare everything prior to then or else things would get rather difficult. 

She found her old room still set up from when she left as a child to Dalaran. 

The last thing she wanted was to rely on Sylvanas. She hadn't figured out how involved she wanted the Banshee or how involved Sylvanas wanted to be. Would she be content to let Jaina be pregnant and then show up after the birth? Or would she insist on being there every step of the way? Now that she had time to mull over her condition, Jaina realized, belatedly, she wasn't ready for a baby. She could barely take care of herself. While there was an uneasy peace between the Alliance and the Horde what's to say that another war won't rear its ugly head in the near future? She wouldn't and couldn't take a child to a battlefield. Who did she know that could take her of a toddler while her mother went to war?

It was a lot to lose. 

How odd it was to already think of sorrow and heartbreak when the child hadn't even gestated yet. Jaina rubbed her face, falling back onto her old childhood bed. She couldn't even blame her hormones for her irrational line of thinking. 

Her pocket vibrated. 

Jaina plucked her blue gem out and checked her messages. She had three, two that were already read and one that was new. The messages were projected into the air and she carefully selected the new message. There were still a few kinks to work out, mainly the issues with touch recognition. Sometimes she had to wave her hands a few times for it to track her movements.

_'Where do you plan on staying whilst pregnant?' - Sylvanas Windrunner_

It was still mind-boggling how formal Sylvanas was on paper. As if the written word could not convey the sharpness of her wit or the deepness of her scorn. But then, it was difficult to discern tone and when one is trying to diplomatic, it was best to be careful with one's words. Jaina replied quickly writing her reply in the air. 

_'A property by the sea, it used to be a summer lodging' - Jaina Proudmoore_

She sent the message and waited, her ankles crossed. 

_'May I speak to you in person? This method of conversation is convenient but this dialogue needs to be done in person' - Sylvanas Windrunner_

Jaina considered the request before sending her answer. 

* * *

Kul Tiras seemed to have only one season. The rainy season. That or every time she visited, the skies were quite determined to turn her into a drenched rat. The portal her mage made winked and vanished. In front of her was the ocean and she could smell the salt in the air and the smell of rotten seaweed. She could see the ships dotting the horizon. 

"Is there anything I can say to discourage you from this course?" 

Sylvanas didn't even turn her head. Nathanos looked and sounded grumpier than he'd ever been in his life or undeath. If Anya's reaction was amusing, Nathanos looked like someone punched in the sternum and knocked all the air out of him. He didn't even have the decency to look shocked when she announced that soon there would be two of her running around underfoot. 

"Nope." 

Nathanos grumbled but made no further comments. Flanking him were two rangers. If Proudmoore wanted to sit out her pregnancy here, she would make sure that it was safe. Wards could only do so much against a determined assassin. With a flick of her fingers, her three rangers vanished into the shadows of the trees. Sylvanas made the rest of the trip alone save for the watchful eyes in the darkness. There was only one building and like all human domiciles, it was flat with vague attempts at architecture with massive columns and windows that served no purpose. She walked up to the gate and its ineffectual attempts at security, bringing a hand over the waist-high gate unhooking the latch. She stepped across cobblestone and stopped before the door. It would appear that no one has been around for a while judging by the growth of vines and grass poking up through the stones and the valiant attempt of ivy crawling up one wall. 

Sylvanas knocked. 

A moment later the door opened and Jaina Proudmoore stood in the doorway, dressed in plain blue robes. In sharp contrast wore her armor and all her gear ready for a fight. "Come in." 

She slipped inside, scanning the foyer. The house looked and felt as if it wasn't lived in for a long time. Dust and cobwebs clung to the banisters. Frankly, it looked like a crypt. 

"If I had known you enjoyed Forsaken interior decorating, I would have asked you to live in the Undercity with me." 

Jaina looked at her as if trying to discern if she was taunting her or not. Eventually, she shook her head. "Do excuse the mess. We haven't been back here for years." With a gesture, all the wicks caught fire and gave the house an even more foreboding appearance as shadows danced against dusty walls. "I hadn't had time to tidy up. You said you wanted to meet." 

She did. As lovely as the instant message device was, the topic was of a sensitive nature and required face to face interaction. 

"I want to post guards." Might as well be blunt. If she attempted to dance around it, the mage would have figured it out eventually. "My handpicked Rangers." 

To Jaina's credit, she didn't attempt to turn Sylvanas into an elf popsicle. "I'm not an invalid. I can take care of myself and besides, it won't be towards the later months of my pregnancy that I will be experiencing difficulties." Her gaze became shrewd. "Not to mention this would put us both in a difficult political position." 

"Eventually your pregnancy will become public knowledge. You can't hide forever. This is me putting in a preemptive safety measure." 

"Do you really think someone would attempt to kill me? Or the child?" Jaina looked torn between being indignant and horrified. 

"Genn Greyman would do anything to hurt me or the Forsaken." 

"But to hurt a baby?" 

"He had condemned my people to their final deaths without a tear in his eyes," Sylvanas said sharply. "I would not allow him to be anywhere near my daughter." 

Jaina's blue eyes stared into hers unyielding and searching, for what she could not tell. There were many fools who claimed they would know the secret of a person's spirit through a firm handshake and staring deep into their eyes. Sylvanas had found that the ones who smiled the most had the sharpest knives. She found more substance in a person's actions than their words. 

"They have orders to alert you should someone approach. They will only kill if they need to." Sylvanas narrowed her eyes. "And no one will find a trace of them here. There will be no political incident." 

Jaina stepped right in front of her as if thinking she could physically intimidate her. But while her posture was aggressive her words were not. "Let me deal with visitors." It was harder to discern human emotions and even with practice she still found it difficult to interpret what they really felt. Sylvanas's own ears were pinned against her head in response to the body language that was presented to her. 

It would seem even in her undeath her body would betray her still. She let out of a huff of air she didn't need, crossing her arms across her chest. "Very well. I will let you handle it for now." 

Seemingly satisfied by this small concession the human stepped back mirroring her posture. There was an indescribable expression on her face, it made her brows furrow as if in thought. It suited her. "Thank you." Jaina smiled at her. "You know, you're not too bad." 

"Am I not the terrifying Banshee Queen?" 

"Maybe. But I think Sylvanas Windrunner is a good person." 

Her red gaze fixed on Jaina's face. "Is that so?" There was the smallest flicker of _want._ Let Jaina disillusion herself and draw her own flawed conclusions. People tend to look at her shining armor and not realize that she had calculated the price of sacrifice and choose who would die and who would live. Becoming the Banshee Queen merely sharpened that edge of herself to a fine point. She didn't relish their deaths. They were calculated and measured and perhaps that was the worst. 

"Yes." 

She felt herself flash her fangs in a wide toothy grin in a wordless reply. 

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tallyvnas it is. No love for our small General  
> Also, Jaina explores elf anatomy. From books. You pervs.  
> Also, I am terrible at getting in Jaina's headspace. I think Sylvanas shares the feeling.  
> The next chapter though is all Sylvanas. And her self depreciation.

Jaina had before she met her first High Elf, had thought they were tiny thin boned creatures with huge eyes like fairies. It couldn't have been helped, bedtime stories were always fantastical to a degree and for some reason, whenever she thought of elves she had this image in her head. Small. Elegant. Beautiful. Like a blooming flower. It was only when she went to Dalaran did she actually met her first High Elf. They were tall and willowy and blonde and far too pretty for reality. The majority of them were magistrix who spent centuries in their craft and had no time for a young enamored Jaina Proudmoore. For a time, she studied side by side with these breath-taking creatures. 

It was only when she traveled to Silvermoon with her master did she get to see the various shapes that elves appeared in. They were all generally tall but some were well built (spell breakers and archers) while others looked more like the Dalaran magistrix. They were more like cats, haughty, and petty just like humans. But to a greater degree. Even when she became friends with Vereesa, her knowledge of elves was more general than detailed. In fact, she knew more about the dark elves than she did the high elves. She may have commented to Pained that her people looked like really slim trolls which kind of got her in a bit of trouble. Pained was affronted by the implication but really, take an orc and a dark elf side by side and they looked very similar. But Jaina kept future observations to herself. 

What was very interesting was how Sylvanas was tall even for a High Elf. And prettier than most. Vereesa had confided to her that difficult growing up with such two icons. Nothing she would do would ever pull her out of the shadow that her elder sisters cast. They were titans, legends literally, and she was the youngest of them and not as spectacular. She would always be the Ranger General's baby sister. 

Vereesa was also very tight-lipped after Sylvanas and well, it wasn't like Jaina could teleport to Silvermoon and steal everything she could lay her hands on about Ranger General Sylvanas. 

She couldn't just ask her. That would be unthinkable. What if she ridiculed her? Or worse, ignored her completely? 

Which lead to this. Sneaking about in the Kirin Tor. She had to "borrow" some books from the Dalaran library about elven child development, basic anatomy and physiology, and some older tomes about elven history. It wasn't like she could pop in and ask Vereesa. She wanted to keep this a secret and as much as she loves Veressa, she wouldn't approve of this. Although, if Jaina was honest with herself, she didn't know what Vereesa thought of her older sister now that Sylvanas had taken over as Warchief. Working with the Horde was one thing, terrible as it was, but leading them? 

Which lead to her stacking books into a basket and creating a portal. Part of the fun was working around the wards so no one knew she was here. It felt good to exercise her mental muscles so to speak. With the peace, her talents were rarely needed and she was so entrenched in politics, she didn't have any time to do any research. Her last outing was the only time she had some fun and look where that got her, pregnant. She could really take advantage of this pregnancy by getting some actual work done. So entranced by the mere thought of getting herself nose deep into books, she didn't even notice she wasn't alone. 

"Jaina?" 

"Modera!" Jaina squeaked, pressing the book against her chest. She turned slowly, plastering a smile on her face. "I didn't hear you." 

Archmage Modera's eyes went from her face to the stack of books by her side. Jaina wanted no more than to sink into the ground and fade away. "Late night reading? I thought you were on a sabbatical."

"Oh, I am. I just...needed some peace and quiet and it was easier to peruse books when no one else is here." 

"Clearly." Modera pursed her lips as she read the titles. "About high elves." One eyebrow went up. "And pregnancies." 

Jaina could feel her face turning red. "Um well..you see.." 

"Congratulations are in order." Modera smiled. "How far along are you?" 

"Just a month or so." Clearly embarrassed at how easily her secret was sussed out, Jaina preferred to hide behind her book like a child instead of a grown woman who was one of the strongest archmages in all the world. But then, Modera was always able to make her feel like a child who just arrived in Dalaran. It couldn't be helped, Modera did help instruct her after all. "I'm sorry that I couldn't stop by to say hello. I've been busy." 

"I understand. You finally get a break. I would have holed myself up with a few good books and some alcohol." Modera took a tome and placed it on top of Jaina's already enormous stack. "Good luck." 

"Thank you." She squeaked out loud before fleeing to the safety of her home.

* * *

Armed with tomes, she could now move to the next phase of her plan. Interrogate the Dark rangers.

It didn't take much to lure a dark ranger inside. All she had to do was pretend to fall down and hurt herself. One was by her side before she could really get into it. The whole, oh I've fallen down and can't get up ruse was genius. Then she practically latched on her victim, making tea and forcing her to have a seat and then ruthlessly began to cross-examining her. 

What's your name. How long have you known Sylvanas Windrunner? What's your favorite food? Are you able to eat?

Apparently, the other banshees could eat which brought some interesting questions as to how exactly were their bodies being preserved? Did other bodily functions work? How did the dark magic that maintained their physical form support their physical bodies? So many questions. She had to know. If she was a bit braver, she might even ask if she could meet with a few necromancers. Or study the more well preserved Forsaken. But that may be out of grasp for the moment. 

By now, the Dark rangers knew to drop by for her afternoon tea times. Besides, it wasn't as if they were forbidden to talk to her. 

They were curious about her too. 

The few that were assigned to keep an eye on her were the same rotating group. Kalira, Clea, and Marrah would always pop in with groceries, gifts from the Dark Lady. Being reduced to guardsman and delivery people didn't seem to reduce their pride. In fact, they seemed to enjoy this. 

"It's a change of pace." Dark Ranger Clea placed the basket down and helped put the bread and cheese away. "Personally, I enjoy being back in the forest. The ocean is also a welcome surprise. Plus less dust and people." 

"I brought a game," Kalira said cheerfully, showing Jaina the clearly loved tome, the leather showing its age. Behind her, Clea sighed, shaking her head as she continued to put the foodstuff away. 

"It's a roleplaying game. This is the rulebook. All you really need is someone willing to be a storyteller." Dark Ranger Kalira explained as she flipped through the heavy tome. "You create your character and then they go on quests. A lot of the NPCs are modeled after real-life heroes." She grinned wickedly. "There is an entire chapter on the Ranger General." 

"Really?" As expected, there was a full portrait of Slyvanas Windrunner as well as pages about her bio. She looked breathtaking in the picture all dressed up in full splendor and then there was the way the light shined down on her stoic face. She looked beautiful and regal, someone a bystander would have thought was the true ruler of Quel'thalas. 

"Oh yeah, she loved the game. We used to run campaigns. " Kalira smirked. "Once I had to TPK the entire party and she sulked for ages." 

"TPK?" 

"Total party kill. Rock falls and everyone dies." She gestured with a hand. "Sometimes your characters run into bad luck or the dice is against you." 

"Dice?" 

"Yes. The dice represent the cruelty of the universe against your character." Kalira's straight face barely held as Jaina gaped at her. "Nah, the dice are used to calculate how successful or unsuccessful a person is at an endeavor. You also have base stats to represent how good you are and then we add elements that will assist or hamper your character at their tasks." 

Jaina nodded her head.

"You can buy better equipment or loot dead bodies." She counted off her fingers. "Or after completing a quest you get a rare item as a prize." 

It sounded fun if a bit complicated. 

"Isn't it weird? You're playing with yourself." Jaina gestured to the book cover, Farstrdiers&Fate embossed in a fading gold. There was a mixed party depicted on the front, a human, dwarf, and elf all posing in some heroic pose. 

" It let us be...someone else. I can play a gnome or a human. I can create any sort of backstory and then do things I wouldn't normally do. It's fun." She handed the book over. "The lore is pretty much a history book. I think you might like it. We could always use another player." 

In the end, she made an elf character with a truly tragic back story that made Kalira laugh herself sick. Honestly, it wasn't that bad. Dead parents and an epic destiny were the basic makeup of any storybook hero. 

* * *

Sylvanas half turned, amused despite herself. "You're staring." 

She had noticed the discrete looks that Jaina was giving her as she moved around boxes. Lady Proudmoore had asked for her assistance and she had somehow managed to browbeat her rangers into assisting as well. The house or rather a manor was rather extensive and deceptively massive. It would take a team of cleaners to clear out the clutter, cobwebs, and dust. Due to the secrecy, it wasn't as if she could hire someone and Proudmoore was starting to show. The aches and pains had seemed to arrive with a vengeance. All it took was one look at her swollen ankles and her huffing and puffing for Sylvanas to drop her gear and roll up her sleeves. 

While the Forsaken may not perspire easily, it was cumbersome to move furniture in armor so she had removed her constrictive armor and stacked them carefully in the foyer. Now she was just in a creme tunic and trousers and it was clear, the human had staring like the way a cow would, all wide eyes and jaw agape. "You're going to catch flies," Sylvanas said her lips quirked up in a small smile. 

"I never have seen you without your armor." Jaina closed her mouth and the slight red dusting on her face was cute. "Sorry." 

"Not many have." She gently placed the pile of books down carefully brushing dust off her fingers. "Do I look frightening? Is that why you are staring?" 

"Nooo." 

"Hm." She wore her archer gloves having had planned on going hunting. It would be a cold day in hell before she buys meat. She was a hunter after all and while she may not be in a loving relationship with Proudmoore, there was tradition to be observed. There was also her pride. 

The manor had changed since she has last seen it. Proudmoore had cleaned much of it, organizing things and making it more homely. It was far too large for once person and far too empty. She had noticed a few trinkets laying around that indicated her rangers had definitely gone against her orders. Not that she told them outright to not bother the mage, more like implied that they should be concerning themselves with the security. Perhaps she should have a talk with them. 

"Are fertility rituals common?" 

Oh, Belore. Is that what she had been stealing up her courage to ask? 

"How long have you been holding onto that?" Sylvanas carefully placed the books in the bookcase. Her fingertips ran down the spine as she spoke. "High elves rarely give birth and when they do, no more than one at a time or one at all. My mother was an exception as was my little sister. Rituals for fertility were very common. As was the fluidity of relationships. That is why I am not too concerned about the nature of our relationship. It is quite normal for the couple to part after the ritual is complete but remains involved for the child's upbringing." 

"But your parents were different." 

"Yes. My mother managed to birth four of us. Quite unheard of." 

She could hear the quiet contemplation as Jaina chewed over her words. "How are half-elves treated? I don't plan on keeping her in Kul Tiras forever. She should know about Silvermoon and...about Windrunner village." 

Coldness spread in Sylvanas's chest. "If you would, you know, show her." Jaina continued, clearly babbling now. "You said you wanted her to know about her people and even if you are now Forsaken you were a High elf before that-" 

Windrunner Spire had been sealed magically ever since she was able to command a mage to do so, a mausoleum to the family that she used to have. It had no doubt fell to ruin and disrepair. She had met her sisters there once in an ill attempt to bring them to her side. "Did you talk to Vereesa?" 

"Not yet. I have been sending her letters to make sure she knows that I'm okay. She's just been talking about her sons and Arator." Jaina took a deep breath. "Have you seen them? Your nephews?" 

"No." The last thing Sylvanas wanted to do was barge into her sister's life or to scare her nephews. Even if she did want to see them. She hadn't seen Arator since he was a babe. Not since Alleria foolishly decided to abandon her, abandon their duties, her son- Just thinking about it made her absolutely furious. Her elder sister couldn't even look her in the face when they last met. 

"...Do you thi-" Sylvanas held up a hand to stop her prattling. "What do you want, Proudmoore?" 

Jaina huffed at her, cheeks puffed up as if she was insulted before she continued on gamely ignoring the scowl Sylvanas gave her. "She tells them stories about you. I know the twins want to be farstriders." 

"I am sure they will grow out of that." Sylvanas continued, knowing Jaina was curious. "Most do. It is very difficult to become one. Most dreams turn to become a magistrix. It is less dangerous." 

"Do you think she will be the same?" It was easy to figure who Jaina was referring to. 

Sylvanas considers this. Did she want their child to be like her? Or more like Jaina? Would she even dare to imagine a smaller version of herself running around playing with her rangers? A mix of her face and Jaina's looking back at her with brightly glowing blue eyes? At her growing up, leaving to seek her fortunes? At chasing off her first lover? Sylvanas blinked. She had zoned out. Impossibly. "She is half-human, I am sure if she is as half as stubborn as her mother, she'd be able to do anything she set herself to." 

"She's a part of you too. If she's anything like her other mother, she'd be amazing." 

* * *

_I need a wheat sandwich with pickles and peanut butter on it with no crust - Jaina Proudmoore_

Sylvanas eyed the message. Nathanos looked up from his reports. Then up at the projected message and then back down. She cut off his retort before he could even voice it. "Where is the nearest bakery?" 

"That is absolutely disgusting and I'm a human." 

"She's pregnant." It had been a few months now and Proudmoore was steadily improving on her impression of a beached whale. 

"How are you going to do it?" 

"Shopping. Discretely as always." 

Nathanos could clearly recall the last time Sylvanas went into the market to buy something for the Archmage. There were more stares than usual as the Warchief examined and hem and haw over produce. You would think she was doing a military inspection by the way she was examining the produce. She bought something eventually and after that, Nathanos had a Ranger go buy something in her steed. It was easier a lot easier than planning a security detail. Somedays, he was pretty sure his general was attempting to put him back into the ground via brain aneurism. It would be like her. Very clean and neat and no one would suspect it. 

"My lady." He began, carefully as she grabbed her things, ready to depart. "Hav-" 

"Stop hovering." She flashed red eyes at him before her gaze softened. "I know what I'm doing. I will be fine." 

Will you, he thought as she left. It was his duty to keep her safe. He couldn't help but feel concerned. 

* * *

This was a dream. This had to be a dream. 

She was running through the woods, tripping over tree roots, the dappled sun streaming down onto the forest floor. Someone was crying. It sounded like a baby. She couldn't tell where the sound was coming from it seemed to echo from every part of the forest like some mocking bird's call. Jaina kept running out of some innate sense of foreboding and after what seemed like a lifetime the forest fell away and she was standing before a lake. There was a figure standing by the shores. She knew, instantly, that it was Sylvanas. She was wearing a doeskin tunic that had no sleeves showcasing her broad shoulders and arms. The moon hung in the sky giving the scene an eerie feeling. Sylvanas's long blonde hair was dull in the light more silver than anything else, neatly trimmed. Her back was to Jaina, arms close to her body. She was humming.

Jaina approached slowly wondering why she was dreaming of the Banshee Queen. This dream felt far more vivid than it should be. "Sylvanas?" 

"Isn't she beautiful?" In the dream, her voice lacked the dulcet quality that it had in the living world. "My darling little one." 

Jaina's hand flew to her mouth as she fought the urge to not gag as Sylvans turned to look at her. Maggots crawled out of her empty eye socket, the gaps in her cheeks seen clearly. Her other eye was clouded over a dull red glow staring straight through her, skin grey with black veins protruding. "I know you're hungry." She looked down adoringly at the baby in her arms, as small hands reached out to tug on blonde hair. Small grey hands. 

The baby wiggled and turned, pointed ears peering out from blonde wispy hair. Pallid grey skin greeted her eyes. Wriggling worms fell from her mouth as she chewed on two human fingers. The infant looked at her, half of her face rotted away showing her white skull. 

"Soon, she'll need more." Jaina looked down at her own hands and at the missing fingers. She felt more than saw the Banshee Queen hovering over her, long-clawed hands and desiccated skin staring down at her. "Will you give her more, mother?" 

Jaina screamed. 

She shot upright her heart thundering in her chest. Red eyes appeared from the darkness as Sylvanas approached, a hand reaching out. 

She couldn't help but recoil in fear the image of a rotting Sylvanas superimposed over the Banshee. That was all it took. "Wait." But she was gone through the open window and into the darkness. By the time she was able to summon a magelight, there was nothing there but her. 

All that was left was a basket and underneath the cloth was her pickles and peanut butter sandwiches without the crust. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sylvanas figures some things out.

Even without the ability to forest walk, centuries of woodland hunting enabled her to vanish into forests without a sound. Sylvanas found herself perched on a tree limb, alone. No one was chasing her. She half expected Jaina to follow. The years spent around a negotiation table showed how stubborn the human could be and how fearless. Over the past few months, she had thought they had found a sort of understanding, almost amicability. It wouldn't do to co-parent and hate each other's guts. It would be fair to the child. But then, would a child want a corpse as a parent? 

Despite how well preserved she was, her body was dead. The necromantic energy gave her the facsimile of life, a slow thrumming heartbeat that was barely perceptible. Sylvanas clenched her hand. She thought she'd gotten over the looks of revulsion and fear. She still cared about how others perceived her. It was something that had been a weakness in her life, vain as she was. Now it was a question of whether or not the people she allied herself could be trusted. She was used to revulsion now. Fear as well. 

Her pocket vibrated. 

She couldn't fault the mage for reacting the way she did. There was something else going on and it has been like this ever since that mission. Perhaps the ritual took something from her. That or the stress was finally getting too difficult to ignore and she was falling apart at the seams. Either option sounded plausible. The pregnancy was just the last thing to tip the scales over and she was spiraling downward. 

Maybe Nathanos was right and she should leave Jaina alone. Least it adds more complications.

* * *

Nothing had changed. Not the fabric of the sedan or the pictures on the walls. Not even the person sitting in the chair looking at her with disapproval. "You could have called ahead." It was after midnight and Sylvanas may or may not have crept into Illaya Cloudspeaker's lodging and stood in the corner like a creep until her target woke up. 

"I had to be discrete," Sylvanas said neutrally, accepting the cup of tea and placing it on the nightstand. "You told me before that if anything happened, I could come to you." 

"For emergencies, Ran-" Illaya Cloudspeaker paused a rueful smile on her face. "Sylvanas. It has been ten years I thought you'd forgotten." 

"Clearly." Despite her emergent need for services, the knee jerk reaction to being sarcastic was embedded deep into her psyche. "You forgot to latch the windows." 

Illaya placed her cup of tea down and regarded the Banshee Queen quietly for a moment, her blue eyes nonjudgemental. They had known each other for centuries ever since her mother died and her grief had consumed her to the point where she was put on involuntary leave. She had reduced a recruit to tears for bumping into her and that had been the last straw. Her rangers could take her short temper and sharp tongue but Anya drew the line at collateral damage. She was not 'fine' and if she wasn't going to handle it, Anya would unleash Liradin on her and the last thing Sylvanas wanted was to be under the priestess's tender mercies. Liradin was a great healer but worse of all, she would never take any of Sylvanas's bullshit. 

"How are you?" 

She wanted to deflect maybe even lie but that would defeat the purpose of coming here. "I'm not sure." 

"You look well. Well as in, well." The silver-tongued mind healer stumbled over her words. "You don't look like you want to kill everything in your sight." 

"I always want to kill everyone." Sylvanas jokes, a smirk on her face. "Or at least have a plan on how to kill everyone." 

"Yes yes," Ilaya flapped her hand. "You look less stressed." 

She did? Well, that was news to her. Sylvanas was fairly certain if she wasn't already dead her blood pressure would be insanely high. Being Ranger-General was stressful but her undeath was in a league of its own. "I am glad that my physicality is to your satisfaction." She drawled, slipping into a familiar conversation of banter. "You never mentioned that you were interested in me." 

"You're deflecting." 

Sylvanas shrugged. 

"I am glad to see you, though, truly." Illaya picked up her notebook and flipped through. "Do you want to start from where we last left off? Or start somewhere else?" 

She couldn't recall what they had last talked about. Probably something about wanting something for herself and letting herself be selfish once in a while. It was a long-standing argument between them. Sylvanas's tendency to self-depreciate and her issues with her elder sister's death as well as the realization that she was slowly being consumed by her duties wasn't great for her mental health. "Let's start somewhere else. It is as you said ten years. I've changed." 

"Did you?" 

Sylvanas scoffed," Of course. I am no longer the Ranger-General. I died. I allied with the Horde. I have struck against the Alliance. I have..." Her eyes narrowed. "Traded one kingdom for another." She had ruthlessly done what needed to be done to secure the safety of her new people as she would have done as the Ranger-General. 

Illaya waited patiently. 

"Perhaps I have not changed as much as I thought." She conceded. 

"Something did change though?" 

"I'm in a relationship with someone I used to despise...well, no, someone I didn't like. I disagreed with her constantly. Needled her for my own amusement simply because I can." Sylvans began slowly, it felt like pulling teeth trying to unravel the complicated feelings she had. "She's having my baby for some ridiculous reason." 

"Congratulations. How do you feel about that, the relationship, and becoming a parent."

How did she feel? If she knew, she wouldn't be here. "I don't know. I'm pleased to become a parent and I...find her mother's company to not be too repulsive." There was a calmness when she interacted with Jaina as she doesn't seem to want anything from Sylvanas, no demands or needs. It felt weird to not be wanted. No, that wasn't the right word for it. "She doesn't expect anything out of me aside from the occasional meal." 

"Are you in a romantic relationship with her?" 

"No. She's the mother of my child. Outside of that, we are still strangers. On and off enemies." 

Illaya made a noise of interest.

Sylvanas scowled at Illaya. The mind healer merely smiled at her. "I think this is good. You're stepping out of your comfort zone and you're actually pursuing something for yourself. Something outside of your titles and duties, your responsibilities to your people. You should continue on your path and figure out what you want out of this." 

"You want me to be selfish?" 

"Yes. Please. Do something for yourself. Not because it is expected of you, or it would further your grander goals do it because it makes you happy." 

Happy. Sylvanas echoed wordlessly. When has that ever mattered? Her happiness? She wanted to keep her little sister and was willing to kill her and raise her just to keep her. That would have made her happy. Did it? Would it? Sometimes she thinks of what would have happened if she had managed to successfully kill Vereesa and raise her. No, it wouldn't have ended well. She would have secured Vereesa but at what cost? 

"Are you sure I am meant to be happy?" 

Illaya leaned forward, concern prominent on her face. "Of course. Everyone deserves happiness." 

Sylvans shrugged an elegant shoulder. "Perhaps." 

"I want you to write a list of what makes you happy and then bring it back to me, we can talk about it. How does next week sound?" 

"Acceptable." 

"Good. Good. I am happy to see that you are well." 

* * *

Sylvanas visited the field where she died her first death. The tulips were in bloom but that could not hide the scar on the earth. The place where she died was a desolated spot, where nothing would grow anymore. Sylvanas placed her hand on the area where her scar sat. If she focused. If she let herself drift. She could still clearly remember the feeling of cold steel sliding into her body and the pain that wracked her. She opened her mouth and began to wail, letting it grow in intensity until her Banshee form slipped from her body, the shell falling back onto the ground limp. 

Sylvanas hovered over her body. In death, she looked so peaceful. It was tempting to just let go. But she had work to do. There were people counting on her and Sylvanas Windrunner had sacrificed too much to give up now.

Sliding back into her body was like trying to fit a tight glove. It was as if she was trying to stuff a doll and the fluff kept flying out. There was a slight metaphysical pop and Sylvanas sat up. When she returned to her office, she spotted Nathanos and Anya speaking furiously to each other and they both shot her a look. Ah, yes she did wander off without an escort. The two were most likely furious with her. Sylvanas ignored their concerns and closed the door to her office. She quickly penned a message. Two messages. One to Vereesa and the other to Alleria. It has been a while since they have done the RIte of Remembrance. Their mother's grave has gone unattended for far too long. 

* * *

Sylvanas knocked and waited, yellow tulips in her gauntleted hand. It was not an apology for her own actions but rather, a gift. She always loved the smell of tulips and bright colors. Even after her death and the forest no longer spoke to her, she still kept her love for all green things. The Proudmoore manor was expertly warded and Sylvanas wasn't going to press her luck. While Jaina may have coded the wards to her presence who knows what she had done in the meantime. For all, she knows Jaina could be absolutely furious with her. Or completely despondent. She hadn't looked at the messages. This was more important than letters and written words that could not convey their true meaning.

Jaina's face was red from scrubbing, her eyes wide and blue. 

"May I come in?" Sylvanas requested quietly. 

Jaina gave her room and she swept in. She carefully threaded her ears out of the holes, pulling her hood down. "Nathanos told me that apologies for human women involved flowers, chocolate, and groveling. All I have are flowers."

"Thank you." Jaina looked hesitant and cautious. "I'm sorry about how I reacted. I woke up from a nightmare and you startled me and I didn't mean- " 

"It's fine. I will make sure to knock. I have forgotten that humans cannot see in the dark as easily." Sylvanas remained hesitant, keeping a space between the two of them. Jaina looked amazing, an almost imperceptible glow emanating from her skin. "I didn't mean to cause any alarm." 

"I know." Jaina looked up at her, a question in her eyes. "Are you able to stay longer?" 

"Yes." She took a step closer. "Do you need anything from me?" 

"Just your time." 


End file.
